August 31, 2024 – Cubs 5, Nats 3

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/WAS/WAS202408310.shtml

 

Time: 2:38

Attendance: 32,995

Start time: 4:05

Start Time Weather: 83° F, Wind 5mph out to Centerfield, Cloudy, No Precipitation.

Seats: 314 E1-2 – Just one section away from our usual location

 

For the second game in a row, one big inning by the red-hot Chicago Cubs was enough to doom the Nationals. DJ Herz, pitching for the first time against the team that drafted him and then traded him away, dominated for the first four innings, allowing only one runner (on a walk). Things fell apart in the top of the 5th, however, as the Cubs began by loading the bases on two singles and a walk. The first run scored on a sacrifice fly, while the next two came across on another base hit and an infield grounder, with an error by normally-reliable CF Jacob Young thrown in. Jacob Barnes promptly served up a double to the first batter he faced, allowing another run to score. The visitors added an insurance run in the 7th when a throwing error by Washington catcher Drew Millas allowed Nico Hoerner to score from second base.

 

The Nats’ offense was not completely AWOL, managing 10 hits, but it was not particularly efficient either. The home team notched single runs in the 2nd (two-out RBI single by Joey Gallo), 4th (Andrés Chaparro homer), and 5th (Young doubled, advanced on an infield grounder, and scored on a wild pitch). They started the next inning with consecutive singles, but José Tena was thrown out trying to stretch his into a double, while CJ Abrams was caught attempting to steal second. They had one last chance when Millas and Young reached base with one out in the bottom of the 9th, but Dylan Crews and James Wood each fanned to seal the defeat.

 

With the Cubs always a big draw, and others attracted by the CJ Abrams bobblehead giveaway, the crowd was large and effectively bipartisan. We picked up subs before the game, then waited at least 20 minutes in line – it seemed much longer – until the gates opened and we could collect our promotional items. It was quite humid and stuffy in our seats, although there was a nice breeze going in the concourse. At least the rain held off until later in the evening.